Automated battery operated liquid soap dispensing systems typically include a dispensing spout having a dispensing opening for dispensing liquid soap or foam (collectively or individually “liquid soap”), which is stored in a reservoir remote from the spout. The liquid soap is pumped to the spout using a pump. Infrared sensing technology using an infrared sensor is typically used to sense a user's hand beneath the dispensing opening of the spout for activating the pump for pumping the liquid soap. Infrared sensors are sensitive to ambient light and in addition require relatively high current to operate. The high sensitivity infrared sensor generates a single pulse via a high powered source such as high output Infra-Red Diode. If a user's hand is beneath the spout, the pulse generated by the source is reflected back by the user's hand to a photo detector. Depending on the strength of the reflected pulse, a microprocessor determines if a hand (or other object) is beneath the spout, and if so, activates the pump for pumping the liquid soap. In some cases, multiple pulses are generated and a plurality of reflected pulses are detected for error determination. If the number of deflected pulses is not within a specified number, the system assumes that a sensing error has occurred. The problem with the current systems is that they are not very robust. The strength of the signals that are reflected at times change due to the ambient light and/or the reflecting surfaces surrounding the spout. Thus, it may take more than a few hand swipes beneath the tip of the dispenser spout in order to activate the pump. At other times, the pump may be activated without a hand moving below the tip as for example when there is a change in the ambient light. A typical IR application uses 50 milliamps current and 10 milliseconds duration time for an IR pulse consuming approximately 500 microamp-hours (μAh). Thus, a more robust power saving and detecting system is desired for battery operated devices.